Adjustable support for telephones.



No. 809,379. y PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. H. L. `KNIGHT L B. W. SWEET.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT POR TELEPHONES. APPLIOATION FILED APB.15, 1905.

21161299 Homey.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HERBERT L. KNIGHT AND BURTON W. SWEET, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE-WILLIAMS -I ABBOTT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR vTELEPHONES Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

To (if/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, HERBERT L. KNIGHT and BURTON W. SWEET, citizens of the United States of America. and residents of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State ,of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Supports for Telephones, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in adjustable supports for telephones, and has for its object the provision of means for carrying a transmitter, receiver, and associated switch or other mechanism, so that the telephone apparatus may be conveniently employed by the telephone-user while sitting at a desk or in a standing position, for example, and may be swunginto any desired angular position without involving any chance injury to the connecting-cord or its electrical connections. The same means adapt the apparatus for swinging the telephone out of the way When not in use.

Our invention as embodied comprises parallel arms of any desired length, which are associated with pivotally-mounted frictionblocks and carry at their opposite extremities a su pporting part for the telephone apparatus. The supporting mechanism for the frictionblocks preferably is also mounted upon a rotatable base portion which is equipped with contact-making apparatus, insuring the electrical continuity of the telephone-circuits with the associated external circuit.

The detailsof the preferred embodiment of our invention will be much more readily gathered by making reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein- Figure l is a view in elevation, partially broken away and in section, illustrating the telephone and its supporting apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles through the adjustable supporting part of said device, the base portion being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base proper with the rotatable supporting mechanism removed therefrom, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing one of the contact-making brushes and its annular contact part in section.

Throughout the figures we have indicated similar parts by the same character of reference in order to avoid any confusion in following the description thereof.

In the preferred embodiment, a may be a weighted base portion, but the same preferably is screwed down by means of fasteningscrews passing through the iiange a. Carried upon said base is a fiber plate insulatingly mounting the concentric contact-rings c, which are respectively connected with the conductors of a four-way cord c. fiber plate is mounted the rotatable base portion CZ, secured in place by means of the pivotbolt cl. Upon the said rotatable base portion d is mounted the clamping-standard e, comprising side plates e', which pivotally support friction-blocks f, adapted to rock in a Vertical plane. The side plates are centrally reinforced by means offheavy straps e, which are forcibly drawn together by means of a bolt and thumb-nut c3 e4. Between the side plates and the exterior faces of the frictionblocks We preferably provide fiber wearingsurfaces f', which are forcibly pressed against the friction-blocks and oppose their movement sufliciently to support the weight of the telephone in any of its angular positions of adjustment.

Extending from corresponding sides of the friction-blocks are the parallel arms g, which may be of any desired length. One of these at least should be tubular for the purpose of carrying the conducting-cord to the telephone. At the ends of these arms is mounted a telephone support or plate t, whereon the several parts of the telephone are carried. In this instance said part forms the rear wall of the casing t', inclosing the switch mechanism of a telephone-hook switchj. The transmitter la and receiverl will at once be recognized as completing the apparatus of a self-contained desk-telephone.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the telephone is securely carried in any position of Vertical adjustment by means of friction-blocks and the parallel supportingarms. To aid in horizontal adjustment, the contact brushes and rings are provided. These brushesm respectively terminate the four conductors extending to the telephone apparatus through the channeled friction-blocks and upper supporting-arm, the cord a thus being neatly and securely carried within the device Above the IOO ` in horizontal planes upon pivot Z' about the base 0;, thus insuring any adjustment desired.

It will be appreciated that the supporting plate or bracket 71, may take any suitable form for carrying the telephone apparatus and need not constitute a part of the casing.

Other changes in the precise apparatus shown may be made quite as readily and remain within the spirit of our invention.

Having described the preferred embodiment or type of our improvement, we claim as new, and desire to secure by these Letters Patent, the following:

1. In an adjustable support for a telephone, the com bination with friction-blocks pivotally mounted in a vertical plane, means for opposing the movement thereof upon their pivotal mountings, supporting-arms extending from said friction-blocks, and a telephonesupport carried by said supporting-arms in any desired position of vertical adjustment, substantially as set forth.

2. In an adjustable support for a telephone, the combination with friction-blocks pivotally mounted in a vertical plane, means for opposing the movement thereof upon their pivotal mountings, supporting-arms extending from said friction-blocks, a telephone-support carried by said supporting-arms in any desired position of vertical adjustment, a base portion, and a horizontally-adjustable mounting for the friction-blocks, whereby a supported telephone may be actuated into the desired positions of vertical and horizontal adjust-- ment, substantially as set forth.

3. In an adjustable support for telephones,

sitions and is retained in place, substantially as set forth.

4. In an adjustable supporting device for telephones, the combination with rotatablymounted friction-blocks, of side pieces bearing against the same and normally retaining said blocks against rotation, clamping means associated with said side pieces, parallel arms extending from said friction-blocks, and a bracket or supporting-plate for the telephone pivotally secured to the outer extremities of said supporting-arms whereon the telephone is adapted to be mounted, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination inan adjustable supporting device with a stationary base portion, of a pivotally-mounted carrying part thereon, two coacting friction-blocks pivotally supported upon the carrying part, friction-surfaces engaging the same, clamping means for forcibly engaging the-latter with the frictionblocks, parallel supporting-arms extending.

from said friction-blocks, and a bracket or supporting-plate for a telephone instrument pivotally connected at the extremities of said supporting-arms, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Cleveland, Ohio, this 14th day of April, 1905.

HERBERT L. KNIGHT. BURTON W. SWEET. IVitnesses: J. A. WRIGHT,

` BLANCHE ROGERS. 

